Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam attends a press conference, Saturday, June 15, 2019, in Hong Kong. Lam said she will suspend a proposed extradition bill indefinitely in response to widespread public unhappiness over the measure, which would enable authorities to send some suspects to stand trial in mainland courts. (Kin Cheung/AP)

After days of escalating tensions and protests, Hong Kong’s chief executive, Carrie Lam, on Saturday backed down on a bill that would allow for extraditions to mainland China.

Lam told reporters she opted to indefinitely suspend the bill – which she previously said was necessary to close legal loopholes – amid public unhappiness and one of the city’s largest protests in years.

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“After repeated internal deliberations over the last two days, I now announce that the government has decided to suspend the legislative amendment exercise,” she said.

“I want to stress that the government is adopting an open mind. We have no intention to set a deadline for this work.”

The Hong Kong chief, installed as leader by Beijing in 2017, additionally apologized for the government’s failure to reassure the public regarding the legislation, adding that they so far have no intention to withdraw the measure entirely.

“Give us another chance,” she requested, vowing to “adopt a sincere and humble attitude in accepting criticism” for officials’ initial efforts.

City leaders are hoping a delay in the legislation will temper unrest and prevent additional violence in the streets of Hong Kong. Many citizens of the former British colony fear the proposed bill would encroach on current legal protections, specifically that it could be used to extradite people to mainland for political or business offenses.

Hong Kong and mainland China do not have any sort of extradition treaty. The new measure would allow for the Hong Kong government and courts to approve extraditions on a case by case basis.

Lam’s announcement comes after violence and street clashes on Wednesday, after thousands of people gathered around the government headquarters and forced legislators to delay a debate on the bill.

At least 72 people were injured, 50 of them males and 22 females, after the demonstrations escalated to violence. Officers used tear gas, batons and fired beanbag rounds as well as rubber balls while protesters threw rocks and bricks.

And earlier in June one million people took to the streets in a peaceful march in protest of the legislation, with a similar even slated for this Sunday.

“It’s possible there might be even worse confrontations that might be replaced by very serious injuries to my police colleagues and the public,” she said. “I don’t want any of those injuries to happen.”

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She also defended officers use of force during demonstrations earlier this week, saying those involved had been “very violent.”